Analyze This Week 10

While there are capabilities of the internet that can contribute to the public sphere and make participation in the conversation easier through comments, etc, if the public sphere is intended to represent an entire population and provide a forum to achieve a public opinion, then I don’t think we can say that the internet is a model of the public sphere. Because of the fragmented nature of online media, the very utility that members of an online community seek is the selective exposure that the internet provides. Sure, there are some members of society that will use the internet to investigate all sides of an issue, but for many, the internet is a place to find like minded opinions and reinforcements of our already inherent beliefs through blogs or niche media. Social media sites, though commended for their ability to connect anyone and everyone, also defy the model of the public sphere by allowing users to pick and choose who and what they are exposed to. The internet, in my opinion, is more of a model of our own individual and selectively exposed to private spheres, than a model of the public sphere.